Steering Group Meeting April 2018

The meeting was preceded by a walking ‘history tour’, led by Diana Cochrane, of the historic Pullens Yard, a cluster of Victorian live/work spaces which was saved from development in the late 70s, and which currently houses a dynamic mix of artists, craftspeople and small businesses. The project team began the meeting with a brief run-through of the community events they will be attending over the next few months. They presented further design layouts in response to comments from the previous meeting, including two options showing a) a community building and b) community building with workshop space. The viability of a community building in Fives Court alone would be in question, so any building would involve the limited development of the other yard, retaining up to 17 garages for local residents, conversion of up to 9 garage spaces, and prioritising new green communal spaces. The group then had a ‘workshop’ to generate ideas to identify who our community is, and what activities might be provided – ideas included a home for Hayles TRA; place for people to meet; space for charities and workshops; rentable party space for the community; work with young people (e.g. cycle repair workshops); youth space; skill-building space; homework clubs; after-school clubs; CBT workshops, therapy and classes for elderly; health and wellbeing improvement activities; time bank; legal financial and debt management advice service; citizens advice; services that libraries used to provide, i.e. free welcoming warm space; recycling services; a space for young parents with kids.